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THE 


EARLY     DEAD; 


CONTAININO 

BRIEF    MEMOIRS 

OF  SEVERAL  SUNDAY-SCHOOL  CHILDREN  WHO 
DIED  IN  1846. 


Blest  are  the  youthful  dead, 

That  sleep  in  Jesus  now  ; 
Though  their  dust  is  laid  on  the  earthy  bed. 

That  must  pillow  every  brow, 
It  rests  in  hope,  it  shall  rise  again  I 
And  mourners  may  meet  their  loved  ones  then. 


I 


PUBLISHED  BY  CARLTON  <fe  PORTER, 

SUHDAT-SOEOOL  TTiaOir,  300  XTTLBXSBT-STSZXT. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1847,  by 
G.  Lane  &  C.  B.  Tippett,  in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  Districl 
Court  of  the  Southern  District  of  New-York. 


17  1^ 
THE    EARLY    DEAD. 


I.— CATHARINE  M.  WILLIAMS. 

It  has  been  truly  said,  that  ''  the 
best  days  of  hfe  are  soon  gone." 
Youth  indeed  is  a  dream  of  gladness, 
which  comes  but  to  vanish.  It  is 
sweet  as  a  smile  that  perishes :  it  is 
bright  and  rapid  as  the  arrows  of  God 
when  he  shooteth  his  lio^htninors  in 
the  heavens.  It  is  like  the  bubble 
caused  by  the  violence  of  the  waves, 
which  glitters  for  awhile  in  the  sun- 
1^  beam,  and  then  breaks,  and  dissolves, 
^Mk  and  disappears.  It  is  like  the  flower 
of  the  field  or  the  garden,  which 
blooms  in  the  morning,  sheds  its  fra- 


THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


grance  at  noon,  and  at  eventide  is 
seen  to  shiver  upon  its  stem !  "  All 
flesh  is  grass ;  all  the  glorj  of  man 
as  the  flower  of  grass : — the  grass 
withereth,  and  the  flower  falleth 
away."  To-day  we  flourish ;  to-mor- 
row we  die.  To-day  we  taste  the 
sweets  of  pleasure ;  to-morrow  the  be- 
loved draught  is  dashed  from  our  lips ! 
Happy  is  he  who  can  say,  in  the 
review  of  life,  "I  have  enjoyed  the 
pleasures  of  spring ;  I  have  endured 
the  toils  of  summer;  I  have  culled 
the  fruits  of  autumn: — ^I  am  now 
passing  through  the  regions  of  win- 
ter ;  and  I  am  neither  forsaken  of 
God,  nor  abandoned  by  man !  I  see, 
at  no  distant  period,  the  dawning  of 
a  brighter  day; — ^the  first  of  a  spring 
that  shall  be  eternal.  It  is  ad- 
vancing  to   meet  me.     I  hasten  to 


THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


embrace  it.  Welcome,  welcome,  eter- 
nal spring !" 

These  reflections  have  been  susf- 
gested  by  the  death  of  Miss  Catha- 
rine M.  Williams, — a  young  and  pro- 
mising member  of  the  Allen-street 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  in  the 
city  of  New- York.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  pious  parents,  whose  de- 
cision of  character  and  consistent 
zeal  in  the  cause  of  Christ  gave  the 
most  salutary  effect  to  those  instruc- 
tions which  were  inculcated  upon  her 
young  heart. 

The  case  of  our  young  friend 
formed  an  interesting  contrast  to 
those  who  take  their  morals  and 
their  religion  from  the  temper  of  the 
times  in  which  they  live.  The  shame 
of  appearing  too  religious  has  been 
said  to  proceed  principally  from  the 


8  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

fear  of  ridicule ;  of  which  ridicule, 
unfortunately,  all  things  are  suscep- 
tible exactly  in  proportion  to  their 
dignity  and  grandeur. 

Our  young  friend  learned,  at  her 
first  entrance  into  life,  the  secret  of 
estimating  religion  as  the  greatest 
ornament  of  human  nature.  Hence 
it  was,  at  the  early  age  of  fourteen, 
that  Catharine  made  an  open  pro- 
fession of  faith  in  Christ.  It  was 
under  the  ministry  of  the  Rev.  J. 
Poisal,  at  the  Allen-street  church, 
that  she  obtained  the  knowledge  of 
salvation  by  the  remission  of  sins, 
and  became  a  member  of  the  Me- 
thodist Episcopal  Church. 

From  tliC  time  of  her  conversion 
to  the  period  of  her  death  she  was 
decidedl}  attached  to  class-meeting, 
and  to  a  i  the  usages  of  the  church. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


Soon  after  she  obtained  the  evi- 
dence of  her  acceptance  with  God, 
she  was  convinced,  from  reading  Mr. 
Wesley's  Sermons,  of  the  duty  of 
fasting;  and  accordingly  set  apart 
every  Friday  as  a  day  of  fasting  and 
prayer,  for  the  purpose  of  promoting 
her  personal  piety,  and  the  spread 
of  the  Redeemer's  kingdom  in  the 
world.  This  practice  she  observed 
.with  the  strictest  tenacity  until  called 
from  the  duties  of  the  church  militant 
to  the  rewards  of  the  general  assem- 
bly and  church  of  the  first-born  in 
heaven. 

Never  very  communicative  on  any 
subject, — always  modest  and  retiring, 
but  firm  and  decided  in  her  religious 
course, — she  gained  the  confidence 
and  commanded  the  respect  of  all 
who  knew  her.     A  more  consistent 


10  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

model  of  youthful  piety,  exhibiting-  the 
lovely  graces  of  the  Spirit  in  such  ma- 
turity, has  not  often  been  presented. 

To  corroborate  this  view  of  her 
character  we  present  the  following 

REMARKS  OF  HER  SCHOOL  TEACHER, 
MRS.  MASON  : 

Her  general  deportment  exempli- 
fied, in  an  eminent  degree,  the  power 
of  divine  love  on  the  youthful  heart, 
to  bring  into  subjection  to  the  obe- 
dience of  Christ  all  its  tempers  and 
passions. 

She  showed  that  she  duly  appre- 
ciated her  time,  and  the  privileges 
she  was  enjoying,  by  diligently  ap- 
plying her  mind  to  acquire  that 
knov/ledge  which  was  calculated  to 
fit  her  for  future  usefulness.  But 
her  diligence  in  study  did  not  hin- 
der her  from  seeking  those   graces 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  11 

of  the  Holy  Spirit  which  made  her 
wise  unto  salvation.  Her  Bible  was 
not  only  her  closet  companion,  but 
often,  in  the  intervals  of  study,  while 
her  classmates  were  engaged  in  pas- 
time, she  might  be  seen  perusing  its 
sacred  pages.  She  was  not  ashamed 
to  confess  Christ  before  her  young 
companions,  though  naturally  very 
modest  and  retiring.  While  her  faith- 
ful admonitions  might  sometimes  re- 
press their  frivolity,  her  cheerful  and 
affectionate  manners  could  not  fail  to 
win  their  love,  and  to  lead  them  to 
admire  the  religion  she  professed. 

Her  school  exercises,  however  in- 
teresting, were  never  made  an  excuse 
for  neglecting  Christian  duties.  The 
time  of  her  class  meeting  was  al- 
ways remembered ;  and  her  teacher 
was  reminded  of  it  by  a  respectful 


12  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

request  that  her  recitations  might  not 
prevent  her  attendance  at  class. 

Frequently  has  her  teacher,  in  her 
absence,  recommended  her  example 
tt>  the  school,  as  that  of  a  truly  con- 
sistent young  Christian. 

So  consistent  a  Christian  course 
could  not  fail  to  terminate  in  a  peace- 
ful and  happy  death. 

A  flower  that 's  offer'd  in  the  bud 
Is  no  vain  sacrifice. 

M.  W.  Mason. 

Feb.  1st,  1846. 

HER    TRIUMPHANT    DEATH. 

She  was  taken  sick  with  the  bilious 
remitting  fever  on  the  31st  of  Decem- 
ber, 1845,  which  prostrated  her  in 
three  days  so  much  that  she  could 
seldom  be  heard  to  speak  above  a 
whisper. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  13 

Although  her  sufferings  were  se- 
vere, there  was  not  a  murmur  heard 
to  escape  her  hps ;  but  frequently 
you  might  hear  her  in  a  whisper  say- 
ing, "  Blessed  Redeemer !  precious 
Saviour !" 

On  the  eighth  day  the  fever  turned 
to  the  congestive,  which  deprived  her 
of  her  reason  until  the  eleventh  day, 
when  she  became  quiet  again.  Her 
parents  being  conscious  that  her  rea- 
son had  returned,  her  father  inquired 
of  her  if  she  knew  who  was  in  the 
room  with  them.  She  replied,  it  was 
Augustus  ;  saying  that  Augustus  was 
the  best  of  brothers,  and  Josephine 
was  a  good  sister;  but  Jesus  was 
better  than  both, — and  then  began 
to  sing, — 

There  'a  nothing  here  deserves  my  joy, —   » 
There 's  nothing  like  my  God. 


14  THE  EARLY   DEAD. 

Here  her  voice  failed  her  ;  but  you 
might  hear'  her  praising  the  Lord  in 
a  whisper.  The  day  after  this,  as 
her  mother  entered  the  room,  she? 
said,  ''Mother,  I  trust  in  the  Lord." 
The  day  following,  observing  hei 
father  walking  to  and  fro,  she  said, 
"  O  father,  do  not  grieve !  the  Lord 
will  do  what  is  right."  Then  in  a 
whisper  you  could  hear  her  again 
praising  the  Lord.  She  had  a  great 
desire  to  see  the  preachers, — also  hel: 
leader  and  classmates ;  but  the  phy- 
sicians had  strictly  forbidden  any  per- 
son being  admitted  in  her  room. 

On  the  morning  of  the  17th  Ja- 
nuary brother  Seney  coming  to  in- 
quire after  her,  was  admitted  to  her 
room.  Although  she  had  not  spoken 
a  loud  word  for  some  time,  as  she 
heard  his  voice  she  said,   "Brother 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  15 

Seney !"  And  he  going  to  the  bed- 
side, inquired  of  her  if  her  mind  was 
at  peace  ;  she  rephed,  ''  Yes,  it  is." 
He  requested  her  not  to  say  any 
more ;  that  was  all  he  wanted  to 
know. 

She  was  too  weak  to  converse 
after  this.  She  remained  quiet  for 
about  two  hours,  when  she  began  to 
shout,  and  tried  to  talk.  But  her 
expressions  were  not  distinct  enough 
to  be  understood ;  yet  it  was  clearly 
seen  that  she  was  triumphing  over 
death.  This  triumph  lasted  for  some 
time.  After  this  she  remained  quiet 
for  about  two  hours  more.  Then  a 
scene  occurred  that  can  never  be 
described.  Her  countenance  shone, 
and  her  voice  came  clear,  and  stronger 
than  ever.  Her  father  was  sitting  by 
the  side  of  the  bed: — she,  looking 


16  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

him  in  the  face,  cried,  ''  Happy ! 
happy !  happy !"  He  asked  her  if 
she  was  very  happy.  She  rephed, 
"O  yes,  father,  I  am  happy!"  and 
cried  out,  "  Arise  and  shine,  for  thy 
hght  is  come ;  and  the  glory  of  the 
Lord  has  risen  upon  me !  Hallelu- 
jah, hallelujah,  hallelujah,  praise  the 
Lord !  I  see  my  Saviour  standing 
ready  to  receive  me  in  his  arms. 
Hallelujah,  for  I  shall  be  like  him, 
and  I  shall  see  him  as  he  is !  O  mo- 
ther," she  said,  "  shout,  and  praise 
the  Lord  with  me !"  and  told  what 
transporting  joys  she  was  then  in, 
and  what  she  had  seen  and  enjoyed. 
This  triumph  lasted  for  some  twenty 
or  thirty  minutes.  Then  waving  her 
hand  three  times,  she  cried  out,  "  O 
the  triumphs  of  grace !  O  the  tri- 
umphs of  grace !    O  the  triumphs  of 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  17 

grace  !"  As  her  hand  fell  she  shout- 
ed, "Hallelujah!  hallelujah!  Glory 
to  God  in  the  highest!"  for  some 
time.  Then  reaching  one  hand  to 
her  mother,  and  the  other  to  her  fa- 
ther, she  said,  "  Farewell,  father ! 
farewell,  mother!"  Giving  her  sis- 
ter her  hand,  she  said,  "Farewell, 
Josephine  : — all  meet  me  in  heaven." 
Then  burst  forth  another  shout  of 
triumph.  After  this  she  spoke  no 
more  ;  and  at  a  quarter  past  ten  that 
evening,  without  a  sigh,  she  fell 
asleep  in  Jesus. 

COPY  OF  ONE  OF  HER  LETTERS. 

December  25,  1843. 

Dear    Mother, — The    anniversary 

of  our  Saviour's  advent  interests  us 

here ;  and  as  it  is  the  desire  of  our 

teacher    that   we    should    present   a 

2 


18  THE  E'ARLY  DEAD. 

specimen  of  our  penmanship  on  this 
occasion,  I  shall  try  and   grant  his 
request,   by  writing  a  few  lines   on 
the  anniversary  of  our  Saviour's  birth. 
I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  address  you 
propeirly  on  this  memorable  occasion. 
I  hope  that  my  remarks  will  not  be 
an    unwelcome    Christmas    present. 
With  what  joy  should  we  hail  this' 
Christmas-day,  when  we  contemplate 
the  Saviour's  birth,  who  came  from 
heaven   to   earth   to    suffer   and  die 
for  us !     Christ  is  the    source  from 
whom    all    comforts    flow.      Depart 
from  him,  and  we  are  lost ;  wander- 
ing  about  without  home,   hope,    or 
peace.     From   him   proceed   all  the 
blessings  of  man,  his  high  ambition, 
and  his    strength    in   adversity,    his" 
comfort  in  affliction,  his  pleasure  in 
prosperity.     But  out  of  all  the  abun- 


THE   EARLY   DEAD.  19 

dance  of  his  goodness  to  man,  the 
crown  of  eternal  Hfe  which  is  oflfered 
us  is  greatest.  Though  he  bestows 
all  the  blessings  of  earth  upon  us, 
yet  without  himself  we  are  as  poor 
as  a  Lazarus.  Let  him  take  from  us 
what  he  will,  but  give  his  love,  and 
we  are  rich, — richer  than  all  the 
treasures  of  Egypt  could  make  us 
without  it.  Mother,  I  suppose  you 
know  how  they  celebrate  this  day  in 
most  of  our  churches  ;  but  I  will  just 
state  here  that  it  is  usually  kept  by 
prayer,  singing,  dialogues  and  ad- 
dresses by  the  children  of  the  sab- 
bath school. 

One  of  our  much-loved  ones,  who 
was  with  us  last  year  in  our  festival, 
is  now  gone  to  join  the  blood-washed 
throng,  and  some  others  with  her, 
who   gave    evidence    that   they  tri- 


20  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

umphed  through  faith  in  the  Saviour. 
May  this  be  a  day  long  to  be  re  mem 
bered. 

In  Christian  love  and  affection, 
Your  affectionate  Daughter, 

Catharine  M.  Williams. 

Her  mind  must  have  been  placed 
much  upon  the  subject  of  death. 
Upon  the  most  of  her  books  and 
papers  were  wri^en  "Victory  over 
death." 

May  all  who  read  this  brief  me- 
moir also  become  more  than  con- 
querors through  Him  that  hath  loved 
them,  and  given  himself  for  them. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  21 


IL— MARY  ABIGAIL  GARFIELD. 

Mary  Abigail,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  the  only  daughter  of 
Harrison  and  Mary  M.  Garfield.  Hav- 
ing been  for  several  years  their  only 
child,  she  had  obtained  a  choice 
place  in  the  affections  of  her  parents ; 
and  they  in  return  had  watched  and 
guided  her  unfolding  mind  with  a 
diligence  which  was  repaid  by  a  be- 
coming modesty  and  affectionate  obe- 
dience to  their  commands,  and  an 
encouraging  prospect  that  her  life  (if 
spared)  would  be  adorned  with  virtue 
and  piety.  And  they  had  fondly  hoped 
that  in  her  they  should  have  a  daugh- 
ter to  comfort  them  in  their  declining 
years,  and  bless  them  in  their  dying 
hour. 


22  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

She  was  always  a  lover  of  the 
Lord's  house,  and  had  a  peculiar  at- 
tachment for  the  sabbath  school.  Her 
punctuality  at  the  house  of  prayer, 
and  her  diligence  in  getting  to  her 
place  in  the  sabbath  school ; — her 
becoming  seriousness,  characterized 
by  cheerfulness,  often  attracted  my 
attention,  and  I  frequently  said  to 
myself.  There  is  a  heart  that  God  is 
refining,  and  a  soul  that  he  is  fitting 
for  the  abodes  of  the  blessed. 

She  had  selected  for  her  teacher 
one  that  was  devotedly  pious ; — one 
who  was  always  present  with  her 
class,  and  whose  piety  had  a  power 
to  attract,  and  a  real  charm.  She 
loved  her  scholars,  and  that  love  was 
repaid  by  their  presence  and  respect. 

Such  was  Abigail's  love  for  her 
teacher  and  her  school,  that  I  have 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  23 

often  met  her  on  sabbaths  which 
were  stormy,  when  but  few  got  to 
church,  plodding  her  way  with  cheer- 
ful steps  to  the  place  she  loved. 
Teacher  and  scholar  were  seldom 
absent. 

During  a  revival  season  in  this 
place  last  fall,  she,  with  others,  was 
evidently  a  subject  of  awakening 
grace ;  and  though  she  was  thought 
to  be  too  young  to  be  encouraged  to 
make  an  open  profession  of  religion, 
— fearing  that,  like  others,  she  might 
fall  back,  and  bring  a  reproach  upon 
the  cause, — ^yet  it  was  evident  that 
impressions  were  made  upon  her- 
mind  which  were  lasting.  They  were 
brought  out  in  her  dying  moments,  to 
the  great  satisfaction  of  her  friends. 

In  three  short  days  from  perfect 
health  she  was  fitted  for  the  grave, 


24  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

and  was  robed  in  the  livery  of  the 
dead.  On  the  third  sabbath  in  April 
she  was,  with  her  mates,  mingling  in 
the  exercises  of  the  sabbath  school: 
the  next  sabbath  her  remains  were 
brought  to  the  same  place,  followed 
by  her  sabbath  school,  and  a  large 
procession  of  weeping  friends. 

During  her  sickness  disease  raged 
violently,  and  reason  was,  at  times, 
dethroned.  There  were  moments 
when  her  mind  was  calm  and  com- 
posed, and  she  conversed  freely  with 
her  friends.  On  one  of  these  occa- 
sions I  asked  her,  "Do  you  love  the 
Saviour,  and  do  you  think  he  loves 
you?"  She  replied,  "Yes."  "If  he 
should  see  fit  to  call  you  away,  are 
you  willing  to  die?"  "Yes."  "If 
you  die,  do  you  think  you  will  go  to 
heaven ?"     "I  don't  know :  I  hope  I 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  25 

shall."  ''  What  shall  I  tell  the  sab- 
bath school  for  you?"  "Tell  them 
to  meet  me  m  heaven." 

The  night  before  she  died  she 
prayed  fervently  for  several  minutes, 
saying,  "  O  Lord,  if  it  is  thy  will  that 
I  should  get  well  again,  I  should 
like  to  get  well ; — but  if  I  must  die, 
forgive  me  all  my  sins,  and  take  me 
home  to  heaven !" 

After  this  she  became  happy,  and 
was  resigned  to  death.  She  said  to 
her  mother,  "  O  mother,  mother,  how 
I  love  you!  I  love  everybody!"  She 
then  kissed  her  parents,  and  bid  them 
farewell.  Several  times  she  sung 
parts  of  interesting  hymns,  which  she 
had  learned,  and  entreated  others 
to  join  with  her  in  singing.  A  part 
of  one  verse  which  I  heard  her  sing, 
was, — 


26  THE   EARLY  DEAD.      , 

When  my  heart  it  believed, 
What  a  joy  I  received ; — 
What  a  heaven  in  Jesus's  name  ! 

Thus  lived  and  died  one  of  our 
young  and  esteemed  sabbath-school 
scholars,  aged  twelve  years.  In  her 
death  her  parents  are  bereaved  of  an 
only  and  affectionate  daughter,  our 
sabbath  school  of  one  of  its  most 
punctual  attendants.  But  we  are  all 
confident  that  our  loss  is  her  infinite 
gain  ; — that  she  has  joined  the  so- 
ciety of  multitudes  who  have  been 
brought  to  God  through  sabbath- 
school  instrumentality. 

John  A.  Sillick. 

Lee,  Mass.,  1346. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  27 


III.— SARAH    M.    D  ARROW. 

My  Dear  Young  Friends, — You 
know  that  life  is  short  and  uncer- 
tain. Now,  can  you  tell  me  why  all 
men  die  ?  Is  it  because  they  wish  to 
die  ?  No :  for  they  will  do  every 
thing  they  can  in  order  to  save  their 
lives.  The  Bible  tells  us  the  reason 
why  all  men  die.  It  is  because  death 
hath  passed  upon  all  men,  in  that  all 
have  sinned.  Sin  is  the  cause  of 
death ;  and  as  all  men,  by  nature, 
are  sinful,  therefore  they  must  die. 
Should  we  not,  then,  hate  sin,  which 
is  the  occasion  of  death,  and  should 
we  not  cease  to  do  anything  which 
is  sinful? 

There  are  a  great  many  children, 
as  well  as  men  and  women,  who  are 


S8  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

afraid  to  die.  They  cannot  bear  the 
thought  of  being  separated  from  their 
kind  parents  and  friends,  whom  they 
love  very  much,  and  of  being  left 
av^ay  off  alone  in  the  gloomy  grave- 
yard. But  notwithstanding  death'  is 
such  a  solemn  thing,  and  the  grave 
is  so  dark  and  lonely,  yet  there  are 
some  who  are  not  afraid  to  die.  You 
have,  no  doubt,  read  in  some  of  the 
interesting  little  books  in  the  Sunday- 
school  library,  of  children  who  were 
willing  to  die,  and  what  it  was  that 
made  them  wilhng  to  bid  their  friends 
farewell,  and  be  laid  in  the  silent 
grave.  I  presume  that  you  like  to 
read  about  good  little  children.  I 
will,  therefore,  tell  you  about  a  pious 
little  girl  whom  I  saw  on  her  death- 
bed, and  followed  to  the  grave. 
Sarah  Matilda  Barrow  was  nine 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  29 

years,  six  months,  and  three  days 
old  when  she  died.  She  hved  in 
Peekskill,  a  pleasant  and  flourishing 
village,  situated  on  the  bank  of  the 
Hudson  River,  about  fifty  miles  from 
New- York.  Her  parents  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  early  taught  her  the 
fear  of  the  Lord.  You  ought  to  be 
very  thankful  if  you  have  pious  pa- 
rents, who  tell  you  the  way  to  be 
good  and  happy,  and  morning  and 
evening  call  their  family  together 
for  religious  instruction  and  prayer. 
There  are  many  little  children  whose 
parents  are  not  pious,  and  who  never 
say  anything  about  religion,  nor  ever 
read  and  pray  with  their  family. 

As  soon  as  Sarah  Matilda  was  old 
enough  she  was  conducted  to  the 
sabbath   school,   of  which  she  con- 


30  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

tinued  a  member  as  long  as  she 
lived.  She  was  so  fond  of  going  to 
sabbath  school,  that  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty she  could  be  prevailed  on  to 
remain  at  home  when  her  health  was 
so  feeble  that  her  kind  parents  thought 
it  not  prudent  for  her  to  attend.  She 
was  very  much  attached  to  her 
teacher, — very  often  speaking  of  her 
during  her  last  illness,  and  manifesting 
great  pleasure  whenever  she  called 
to  see  her.  I  hope  that  you  are  all 
as  fond  of  going  to  sabbath  school  as 
was  this  dear  little  girl.  What  a  pri- 
vilege it  is  to  have  the  opportunity 
of  learning  what  God  says  to  us  in 
his  holy  word !  What  a  precious 
book  is  the  Bible  which  you  study  at 
sabbath  school!  It  is  the  voice  of 
the  blessed  Saviour  unto  you,  telling 
you  what  you  ought  to  believe,  what 


THE   EARLY  DEAD.  31 

you  ought  to  love,  what  you  ought 
to  do,  and  what  it  is  your  privilege 
to  enjoy.  O,  then,  read  this  holy 
volume  every  day,  and  be  careful  to 
follow  its  divine  teachings  ! 

"  Sacred  volume  !  may  thy  pages 
So  point  out  to  me  the  way, 
That  when  wanes  the  lapse  of  ages, 
I  may  meet  a  glorious  day !" 

The  instructions  which  Sarah  Ma- 
tilda received  from  her  parents  and 
at  the  sabbath  school  were  not  in 
vain.  Often,  during  her  life,  would 
she  converse  on  the  subject  of  reli- 
gion, particularly  with  her  mother. 
Not  unfrequently  would  she  leave 
her  playmates,  and  join  the  company 
of  her  mother,  saying,  "  I  mean  to  be 
good  ;  for  then  my  parents  will  love 
me,  and  God  will  love  me  too." 
Then    she    would   take   some    good 


32  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

book,  and  read,  while  her  asso- 
ciates were  engaged  in  their  amuse- 
ments. 

So  sweet  and  amiable  was  her  dis- 
position, and  so  kind  and  affectionate 
was  her  manner,  that  she  was  loved 
by  all  who  knew  her.  Now,  dear 
children,  I  hope  that  you  will  not 
spend  all  your  time  in  play,  but  oc- 
cupy a  portion  of  it  in  reading  good 
books,  of  which  you  will  find  a  great 
many  in  the  Sunday-school  library. 

One  subject  about  which  this  little 
girl  often  conversed  was  death.  Now, 
there  are  some  folks  who  seem  never 
to  think  about  dying,  and  going  into 
eternity;  but  good  folks  often  medi- 
tate on  the  time  when  they  shall 
enter  the  world  of  spirits.  On  ex- 
amining her  scrap-book,  the  follow- 
ing sweet  hymn  was  found,  inscribed 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  33 

by  her  own  hand  but   a  few  days 
before  her  last  illness  : — 

"  There  is  an  hour  when  I  must  die, 

Nor  do  I  know  how  soon  'twill  come ; 
How  many  children  young  as  I 

Are  caird  by  death  to  hear  their  doom ! 

"  Let  me  improve  the  hours  I  have, 
Before  the  day  of  grace  is  fled : 
There 's  no  repentance  in  the  grave, 
No  pardon  ofifer'd  to  the  dead. 

"  O  that  my  eyes  may  closed  be 

To  what  becomes  me  not  to  see  ! 
That  deafness  may  possess  my  ear 
To  what  concerns  me  not  to  hear!" 

In  the  early  part  of  May,  1845, 
Sarah  Matilda  was  taken  severely  ill. 
During-  the  first  few  days  of  her  sick- 
ness she  felt  desirous  to  recover,  that 
she  might  live  to  grow  up.  But  the 
second  week  of  her  illness,  when  her 
father  asked  her  if  she  was  willing  to 
die,  she  closed  her  eyes  a  moment, 
as  if  engaged  in    prayer,  and  then 


M  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

looking  at  him,  she  calmly  replied  in 
the  affirmative ;  which  willingness 
she  continued  to  manifest  the  re- 
maining seven  weeks  that  she  lin- 
gered before  her  death.  She  con- 
versed with  great  composure  about 
dying,  and  entering  eternity ;  evincing 
a  maturity  of  mind  far  exceeding  her 
age.  She  exercised  great  patience ; 
never  uttering  one  murmur  during 
her  protracted  and  suffering  illness. 
As  long  as  she  was  able,  she  studied 
her  Sunday-school  lesson,  and  read 
the  Sunday-School  Advocate ;  and 
when  she  could  no  longer  read  her- 
self, she  insisted  on  havmg  the  Ad- 
vocate read  to  her  till  her  decease. 
Much  of  her  time  she  spent  in  pray- 
•^r,  frequently  remarking  to  her  pa- 
rents, "  If  we  ever  go  to  heaven,  we 
must  pray  much."     My  young  read 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  35 

ers,  you  have  all  been  taught  by  your 
sabbath-school  teachers  to  pray.  And 
I  hope  none  of  you  ever  go  to  bed  at 
night,  or  get  up  in  the  morning,  with- 
out kneeling  down  by  your  bedside, 
and  praying  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
I  hope  you  will  never  forget  to  pray. 
Remember,  "if  we  ever  go  to  heaven, 
we  must  pray  much." 

Three  weeks  before  her  death  she 
distributed  her  keepsakes  among 
her  brothers,  sisters,  and  little  asso- 
ciates ;  and  then  requested  that  she 
might  be  buried  in  the  Methodist  bu- 
rying ground,  right  by  the  side  of  her 
grandmothers  grave.  Thus  possessed 
of  perfect  consciousness,  she  lookfed 
forward  to  the  hour  when  she  should 
close  her  eyes  in  death.  On  one  oc- 
casion her  physician  speaking  encou- 
ragingly of  her  recovery,   she  inti- 


36  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

mated  her  strong  conviction  that  her 
sickness  was  unto  death.  About  three 
days  preceding  her  death  she  called 
for  her  father,  and  when  he  came 
into  the  room,  she  looked  up  to  him, 
and  said,  "I  want  you  to  pray  with 
me ;"  and  then  turning  to  the  other 
members  of  the  family  who  were 
present,  she  requested  them  all  to 
join  in  prayer.  On  her  father's  ask- 
ing her  if  she  wished  him  to  pray 
that  she  might  recover,  she  replied, 
*^  O  no ;  I  am  going  to  die  soon !" 
After  they  h^d  joined  in  prayer  she 
spoke  to  all  in  the  room  individually, 
bidding  them  an  affectionate  "■  good- 
b;f ;"  and  then  desired  that  the  ab- 
sent members  of  the  family  might  be 
called,  that  she  might  take  her  leave 
of  them.  A  few  moments  after  this 
affecting  scene  she  was  attacked  with 


THE   EARLY  DEAD.  37 

spasms,  which  continued,  except  at 
short  intervals,  as  long  as  she  lived. 
During  these  intervals  she  appeared 
to  retain  her  consciousness,  and  was 
repeatedly  heard  to  whisper,  "Bless- 
ed Saviour!  blessed  Saviour!"  And 
when  her  little  heart  had  ceased  to 
beat,  and  her  face  was  pale  and  cold 
in  death,  there  was  a  peaceful  look, 
which  seemed  to  say, 

•*  There 's  nothing  terrible  in  death 
To  those  who  go  to  heaven." 

Now,  children,  I  suppose  if  you 
knew  that  you  would  die  very  soon, 
you  would  wish  to  feel  just  as  that 
little  girl  did  ;  that  you  would  like  to 
be  able  to  address  that  gracious  Re- 
deemer, who  took  little  children  in 
his  arms,  and  blessed  them,  saying, 
"  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven;" 
and  say  to  him,  ''  Blessed  Saviour ! 


THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


blessed  Saviour !"  Well,  if  you  will 
do  as  she  did, — if  you  will  give  your 
heart  to  him,  and  pray  that  he  will 
have  mercy  on  you,  and  trust  in  him, 
and  strive  to  do  his  holy  will, — ^you 
will  be  prepared  to  die. 

Her  funeral  was  attended  on  the 
6th  of  July,  1845.  This  was  a  most 
solemn  occasion.  At  the  appointed 
hour  her  remains  were  followed,  by 
her  friends  and  the  sabbath  school 
of  which  she  was  a  member,  to  the 
church,  where  a  discourse  was  deli- 
vered to  a  very  large  and  deeply- 
attentive  audience ;  after  which  her 
body  was  conveyed  to  the  spot  which 
she  had  selected  for  her  burial,  ii>  the 
rear  of  the  church,  and  deposited  in 
the  silent  grave.  It  was,  indeed,  to 
the  surviving  members  of  that  family 
a    trying    hour.      It   is    painful   for 


THE   EARLY   DEAD.  39 

affectionate  parents  to  bid  adieu  to 
their  little  ones,  and  consign  their 
bodies  to  the  grave.  The  writer  has 
been  called  to  stand  by  the  coffin 
containing  the  clay  form  of  a  dear 
little  boy ;  and  that  lifeless  body  was 
so  fair  and  l)eautiful  in  death,  that 
it  was  hard  to  bury  it  up  in  the 
ground. 

But  while  we  stood  by  the  grave, 
and  saw  the  remains  of  Sarah  Ma- 
tilda lowered  into  it,  and  the  earth 
placed  upon  her  coffin,  we  felt  not 
only  to  weep  at  our  loss,  but  also  to 
rejoice  in  the  confident  belief  that 
our  loss  was  her  gain.  The  soul 
that  once  dwelt  in  her  body  did  not 
go  down  into  that  grave.  No :  the 
grave  received  only  the  mortal  body, 
while  the  immortal  spirit  went  to 
dwell  with  Christ  in  paradise.     Nor 


40  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

is  her  body  always  to  remain  in  the 
(lark  grave.  The  blessed  Jesus  will 
watch  over  the  graves  of  all  his 
saints,  and  at  last  will  raise  their  bo- 
dies from  the  long  sleep  of  death, 
and  take  them  to  heaven. 

Now,  my  young  friends,  I  suppose 
that  you  would  not  miss  of  heaven  if 
you  could  have  in  exchange  all  the 
beautiful  things  which  you  ever  saw. 
Well,  you  need  not,  if  you  will  love 
and  serve  God  while  you  live  in  this 
w^orld.  There,  though  you  have  never 
seen  Sarah  Matilda  Darrow  on  earth, 
you  wdll  meet  her,  and  join  with  her  in 
the  worship  of  that  blissful  place  : — 
there,  also,  you  will  join  all  your  dear 
friends  who  shall  have  gone  thither 
before  you ;  and  you  will,  with  joy, 
receive  all  those  who  shall  follow  you 
to  that  holy  place. 


THE   EARLY   DEAD.  41 

Now,  dear  children,  I  must  take  my 
leave  of  you.  Many  of  you  who  read 
this  brief  notice  I  never  expect  to  see 
till  the  day  of  judgment.  Let  me,  then, 
before  I  close,  entreat  you  not  to  neg- 
lect religion  till  you  grow  old.  Recol- 
lect the  Bible  says,  ''  Remember  thy 
Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth." 
Read  God's  blessed  word;  obey  his 
voice ;  pray  daily  unto  him.  Then, 
though  I  may  never  see  you  on  earth, 
I  trust  I  shall  meet  you  in  heaven. 
S.  C.  Perry. 

Peekskill,  N.  Y.,  May,  1846. 


42  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


IY.~JULIETTE 


Juliette  had  entered  her  seventh 
year,  replete  with  life  and  activity, 
buoyant  with  hope  and  animation ; 
her  countenance  beaming-  with  the 
ray  of  intelligence,  while  the  ruddy 
cheek  indicated  health  and  vigor. 

Juliette  had  now  arrived  at  an  inte- 
resting period  of  life,  when  the  ex- 
panding germ  begins  more  fully  to 
develop  itself, — when  the  intellect 
and  conscience  are  susceptible  of 
being  molded  into  almost  any  form. 

She  was  artless  and  reserved  in 
her  manners  ;  and  although  cheerful 
and  happy,  was  thoughtful  and  con- 
siderate. She  was  ever  faithful  to  a 
charge  committed  to  her  trust ;  so 
that    her    parents    and    friends    had 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  43 

learned  to  feel  secure  that  directions 
given  to  her  would  be  fulfilled  with 
scrupulous  care.  She  listened  with 
intense  eagerness  when  any  narra- 
tive was  related  to  her ;  but  when 
the  subject  of  death,  or  a  future  retri- 
bution, was  presented  to  her,  a  calm 
seriousness  pervaded  her  counte- 
nance, and  she  seemed  to  recoil 
from  the  thought  that  she  must  ever 
become  an  inmate  of  the  cold  and 
silent  grave. 

But  tliis  was  merely  a  temporary 
sensation.  When  her  frame  began 
to  yield  itself  to  the  ruthless  hand 
of  disease,  her  intellect  seemed  to 
expand,  her  understanding  to  enlarge, 
and  while  her  body  was  suffering, 
her  mind  was  perfectly  composed : 
her  views  concerning  death  were 
clear  and  satisfactory.     Upon  being 


44  THE   EARLY  DEAD. 

told  by  one  of  her  friends  that  they 
were  afraid  she  could  not  live,  she 
replied,  she  was  willing  to  die  if  she 
was  sure  of  going  to  heaven  :  then 
she  could  see  her  little  brother.  This 
was  at  the  commencement  of  her 
sickness ;  and  while  the  disease  was 
pursuing  its  course  she  seemed  to 
brighten  for  the  great  transition 
from  this  world  to  the  next.  At  one 
time  she  said,  "  Christ  died  for  us  all. 
It  says  in  the  Bible  that  he  loves  ht- 
tle  children  ;  then  he  loves  me  :"  and 
upon  seeing  a  picture  of  Jesus,  she 
reached  for  it ;  and  on  obtaining  it, 
she  pressed  it  to  her  dying  lips.  Upon 
being  asked  if  she  loved  Jesus,  she 
replied  in  the  affirmative. 

At  another  time  she  said,  "I  am 
going  to  a  better  place."  And  when 
apparently  in  the  arms  of  death,  she 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  45 

was  heard  to  say,  "  Jesus !  Jesus !" 
Her  young  heart  seemed  to  overflow 
with  love, — love  to  God,  and  love  to 
all  around  her ;  and  in  this  state  she 
closed  her  eyes  in  death,  after  a  short 
illness  of  four  days. 

And  now  she  is  no  more.  Her 
active  limbs  are  moldering  to  dust; 
her  body  has  returned  to  its  mother 
earth,  while  her  spirit  has  gone  to 
God,  who  gave  it.  During  the  short 
tin!e  she  was  permitted  to  remain  on 
earth  she  realized  all  that  is  worth 
obtaining;  and  had  she  lived  to  the 
age  of  threescore  years  and  ten,  she 
could  not  have  had  a  more  satisfac- 
tory assurance  of  her  acceptance  with 
God,  and  that  he  will  not  reject  little 
children. 

True,  it  was  an  irreparable  loss  to 
her  friends  ;  and,  doubtless,  her  name 


46  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

will  be  long  remembered  by  the  mem- 
bers of  her  class  in  Sunday  school, 
with  whom  she  assembled  to  receive 
instruction  concerning  the  way  to 
heaven,  and  to  join  in  anthems  of 
praise  to  their  great  Creator : — a  com- 
pany emblematic  of  the  assembly  of 
the  saints  in  the  upper  sanctuary,  with 
whom  she  is  now  connected. 

L.  P.  H. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  47 


v.— E  LIZA    BOWEN. 

It  is  with  mingled  feelings  of  re- 
gret and  pleasure  that  I  notice  the 
death  of  Eliza  Bow  en,  an  infant 
scholar  attached  to  the  Vestry-street 
school : — regret,  because  the  school 
has  lost  one  of  its  brightest  orna- 
ments ;  pleasure,  on  account  of  her 
triumphant  death. 

At  an  early  age  she  spoke  of  reli- 
gion, and  manifested,  by  her  conver- 
sation, the  lasting  impression  it  had 
made  upon  her  mind.  She  often 
spoke  of  it  in  terms  of  praise ;  de- 
scribing, with  earnestness  and  joy,  its 
effects  upon  her  heart. 

Though  suffering  intensely  from 
that  dire  disease,  consumption,  she 
seemed  perfectly  calm  and  resigned 


48  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

to  the  will  of  that  God  who  rules 
with  an  all-wise  providence,  often 
exclaiming,  "Mother,  dear  mother, 
my  heavenly  Father  does  all  things 
well !  I  love  my  heavenly  Father  ! 
Will  I  not  see  my  sister  in  heaven, 
mother?  I  shall  soon  be  where  all 
tears  ^hall  be  wiped  from  my  eyes." 

She  spoke  with  pleasure  of  the 
hope  she  had  of  a  blessed  immor- 
tality, and  expressed  no  desire  to 
remain  in  this  vale  of  tears. 

After  an  illness  of  about  a  year, 
durino-  which  she  suffered  with  Chris- 
tian  fortitude,  she  sweetly  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus  at  the  age  of  five  years. 

The  following  hymn  was  one  which 
she  often  sung: — 

"  My  God  is  the  Father  of  all, — 

The  Father  of  mercy  and  love ; 
He  pities  the  works  of  his  hands, 
And  reigns  in  the  heavens  above. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  49 

'*  Not  a  sparrow  can  fall  to  the  ground 
Without  his  protection  and  care  ; 
And  with  such  a  kind  Father  and  friend 
What  have  his  children  to  fear  ? 

"  We  have  nothing  to  fear  but  sin ; — 
'Tis  sin  that  displeases  our  Lord: 
And  if  we  disobey  his    tmraands, 
Like  a  fkiher  he  uses  the  rod." 

J.  E.  J. 
4 


50  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


VI— GEORGE  W.  ANTHONY. 

Died,  on  the  15th  May,  1846,  at 
Holmes'  Hole,  Duke's  co.,  Mass., 
George  West,  s^v3n  of  Abraham  and 
Fanny  Anthony,  aged  fourteen  years. 
Little  George  was  called  to  endure 
intense  bodily  sufferings  through  the 
greater  part  of  his  life.  He  possessed 
an  amiable  disposition ;  was  unas- 
suming in  his  manners,  and  much 
esteemed  bj^ll  who  knew  him.  He 
was  much  attached  to  the  sabbath 
school,  and  whenever  it  was  possible 
he  was  sure  to  appear,  with  his  les- 
son well  prepared,  and  ready  to 
listen  with  attention  to  the  instruc- 
tions of  his  teacher.  He  loved  his 
books.  The  Bible  and  the  Sunday- 
School  Advocate  were  his  constant 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  51 

companions.  Previous  to  his  last 
severe  illness  he  took  great  pains  to 
obtain  subscribers  for  the  Sunday- 
School  Advocate,  and  was  anxious 
that  every  one  should  read  it. 

He  was  dedicated  to  the  Lord  by 
baptism  in  his  infancy.  In  the  tenth 
year  of  his  age  he  obtained  pardon 
of  his  sins  through  the  merits  of  a 
merciful  Saviour,  and  retained  an 
abiding  evidence  of  his  acceptance 
with  God  until  the  last. 

During  the  last  year  of  his  life 
he  was  unable  to  walk  ;  but  often 
said  he  had  rather  be  confined  to 
his  bed,  and  enjoy  religion,  than 
without  it, — as  many  of  the  boys 
in  the  streets  w.ere, — ^be  able  to 
play  with  them.  On  the  sabbath, 
while  others  were  enjoying  the  pri- 
vileges of  public  worship,  he  would 


52  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

often  desire  his  mother  to  read,  sing, 
and  pray  with  him  at  home. 

He  endured  his  sufferings  with  pa- 
tience and  Christian  resignation;  and 
when  death  came  he  was  ready  to 
depart  in  peace.  On  the  17th  his 
remains  were  conveyed  to  the  silent 
grave,  attended  by  an  interesting  com- 
pany of  sabbath-school  children  and 
sympathizing  friends. 

God  grant  that  all  the  readers  of 
this  sketch  may  terminate  their  earthly 
careers  with  equal  peace  and  triumph ! 
A.  B.  Wheeler. 

June  29   1846. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  53 


VII.— CATHARINE  ELIZA  BAKER,  HER  SISTER 
AND  BROTHER. 

Died,  in  Liberty,  Frederick  co., 
Md.,  within  the  space  of  two  weeks, 
of  scarlet  fever,  William  Grafton^ 
Sarah  Rebecca,  and  Cathamie  Eliza, 
all  children  of  Henry  and  Rebecca 
Baker. 

This  distressing  providence  came 
upon  those  devoted  parents  all  in 
the  short  space  of  two  weeks ;  and 
only  one,  an  infant  of  a  few  weeks 
old,  is  left  to  fill  the  distressing  void. 

William  Grafton  was  eighteen 
months  and  thirteen  days  old ;  Sa- 
rah Rebecca,  three  years  and  twenty- 
three  days ;  and  Catharine  Eliza,  six 
years  the  morning  on  which  she  ex- 
changed this  world  of  suffering  for  a 


54  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

home  in  heaven.  It  was  not  my  pri- 
vilege to  visit  these  lovely  and  inno- 
cent children  during  their  sickness, 
(being  at  conference  in  Baltimore  at 
the  time ;)  but  having  been  intimate 
in  the  family  the  preceding  year,  and 
of  course  acquainted  v^ith  the  chil- 
dren, I  am  desirous  that  a  record  to 
their  memory  should  be  made. 

Of  the  two  youngest  little  of  im- 
portance can  be  said,  except  that 
little  Sarah  was  always  dutiful  to 
her  parents,  and  loved  her  sabbath 
school,  always  attending  if  possible. 
She  loved  and  obeyed  her  teachers. 
She  indeed  was  one  of  those  little 
girls  whom  everybody  loves,  because 
she  possessed  a  grace  and  dignity  of 
behavior  of  which  but  few  of  her 
age  could  boast;  and  long  will  her 
interesting  manners  and  conversation 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  55 

be  remembered  by  those  who  beheld 
and  heard  her.  Little  Sarah  had  not 
only  been  taught  to  love  her  sabbath 
school,  and  to  try  to  profit  by  it,  so 
early  in  life,  but  also  to  do  something 
for  the  ''poor  heathen.'^ 

Accordingly,  she  set  about  her 
interesting  work ;  and  at  the  time  of 
her  death  had  in  her  little  "  mission- 
ary treasury"  sixty-one  cents,  (be- 
sides former  remittances,)  which  are 
now  forwarded  to  the  Missionary 
Society  for  the  benefit  of  those  for 
whom  her  little  heart  was  taught  to 
feel,  and  her  little  tongue  to  plead. 
May  it  not  be  said  of  her  in  truth,  as 
was  said  by  the  Saviour  of  "  little 
children,"  of  the  woman  who  gave 
her  two  mites,  "  She  hath  done  what 
she  could  ?"  She  cast  her  last  oifer- 
ing  into  the  missionary  treasury; — 


56  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

an  offering  which  will  endure  *and 
brighten  to  a  crown.  Her  memory 
will  he  blessed. 

But  we  now  turn  to  the  case  of 
Catharine,  the  eldest  of  the  three. 
She  was,  indeed,  a  peculiar  child  for 
her  age ;  and  although  some  may 
incline  to  the  opinion  that  children 
cannot  understand  religion,  either  in 
its  theory  or  experience,  yet  the  life 
and  death  of  little  Catharine  are  surely 
evidence  to  the  contrary.  As  to  her 
hfe, — for  one  so  young  her  mind  was 
stored  well  with  useful  knowledge, 
with  wholesome  truth.  She  knew 
her  duty  to  her  parents, — her  duty  to 
her  God.  Her  disposition  was  docile 
and  yielding,  and  her  "patience"  had 
indeed  its  ''perfect  work"  in  all  her 
affliction.  Those  who  waited  upon 
her  in  her  sickness  can  testify  that 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  57 

she  endured  her  sufferino^s  more  like 
an  experienced  Christian  than  one  of 
her  tender  years.  Her  sufferings 
were  exceedingly  intense ;  'for,  as  I 
am  informed,  her  disease  had  reduced 
her  to  little  less  than  a  mass  of  cor- 
ruption ;  yet  the  only  word  of  com- 
plaint which  passed  her  lips  was,  "  O 
my  throat!  my.  throat  is  so  sore!" 
But  amid  all  her  suffering  she  never 
once  forgot  her  sick,  delicate,  and 
afflicted  mother.  Most  soothingly,  in- 
deed, would  she  endeavor  to  comfort 
her  troubled  heart,  by  expressions 
of  affection  and  tenderness,  saying, 
"  Never  mind,  mother,  my  throat  don't 
hurt  me  now ;  I  don't  feel  much  pain 
now," — always  evidently  spoken  with 
a  Aiew  to  the  comfort  of  her  mother, 
who  appeared  to  be  all  her  concern. 
She  never  refused  but  once  to  take 


58  THE   EARLY  DEAD. 

anything  that  was  offered  her,  and  that 
was  a  little  mulled  wine.  This  she 
refused,  modestly  saying,  '^No,  I  don't 
drink  anything ;"  but  at  the  solicita- 
tions of  those  who  waited  on  her  she 
soon  yielded,  taking  it  only  as  a  medi- 
cine. The  secret  of  the  matter  was, 
little  Catharine  was  an  uncompro- 
misifig  member  of  the  Juvenile  Tem- 
perance Society,  young  as  she  was, 
and  would  not  break  her  pledge.  She, 
too,  loved  her  sabbath  school,  and 
would  not  absent  herself  without  suf- 
ficient cause — she  was  obedient  and 
attentive  to  her  teachers,  and  learn- 
ed the  will  of  God.  She  was  also 
interested  in  another  branch  of  holy 
and  benevolent  enterprise — the  mis- 
sionary cause  lay  near  her  youthful 
heart.  O  how  much  joy  did  her  in- 
telligent countenance  bespeak,  when 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  59 

one  and  another  would  give  her  some- 
thing for  the  cause  she  loved !  The 
money  collected  in  her  "  missionary 
box"  at  the  time  of  her  death  amount- 
ed to  $1.50,  which,  in  connection  with 
her  little  sister's  offering,  and  that  of 
her  little  brother  William  Grafton,  is 
forwarded  to  the  treasurer  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Society,  that  it  may  benefit 
those  for  whom  it  was  intended — 
"  the  poor  little  heathen  children''  A 
short  time  before  her  death,  she  beg- 
ged her  aunt  to  let  her  get  down 
on  her  knees  at  her  bedside,  and  say 
her  prayers.  This  was  truly  an  af- 
fecting sight — :she  audibly  and  de- 
voutly sent  up  her  prayer  in  trembling 
yet  burning  accents,  which  caused 
every  heart  to  feel.  She  had  been 
taught  always  to  remember  her  bro- 
ther  and    sister,   when    she    prayed. 


60  THE   EARLY  DEAD. 

When  she  came  to,  "  Lord  bless  me," 
she  paused  and  added,  ''  and  my 
dear  Uttle  sister,"  meaning  the  babe  ; 
her  other  sister  and  brother  having 
gone  before  her  to  the  children's  rest 
in  heaven.  While  thus  engaged  in 
her  ardent  and  deep  devotions,  she 
evidently  felt  all  she  had  expressed ; 
for  when  she  arose  from  her. knees, 
tears  were  pursuing  each  other  down 
her  feverish  cheeks.  She  had  always 
been  exceedingly  kind  to  her  brother 
and  sister,  never  speaking  harshly,  or 
in  unkind  terms  to  them,  and  was 
never  known  at  any  time  to  raise  her 
hand  to  either.  It  has  been  truly  said 
of  these  children,  "  They  were  plea- 
sant and  lovely  in  their  lives,  and  in 
their  death  they  were  not  divided." 
It  is  remarked  by  one,  of  Catharine, 
that  a  short  time  before  her  death,  she 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  61 

signified  a  wish  to  get  well  to  com- 
fort her  mother ;  but  expressed  a 
stronger  desire  to  go  to  heaven  to  be 
with  her  sister;  and  that  wish  was 
gratified ;  and  then  together,  as  they 
were  wont  to  do  on  earth,  she  cele- 
brated her  birthday  in  one  of  those 
*'  mansions"  prepared  for  the  blessed. 

April  30,  1846. 


62  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


VIIL—H A N N A H   A.    HUSE. 

Hannah  Adeline  Huse,  daughtei 
of  Joseph  and  Hannah  Huse,  aged 
eight  years,  five  months,  and  fifteen 
days,  died  in  Bath,  Me.,  May  5,  1846. 

She  was  a  lovely  and  interesting 
child,  very  fond  of  the  sabbath  school, 
kind  to  her  brothers  and  sisters,  and 
obedient  to  her  parents. 

In  her  sickness  she  conversed  with 
composure  about  death,  said  she  was 
not  afraid  to  die,  and  is  now  gone  to 
Him  who  said,  "  Suifer  little  children 
to  come  unto  me."  O.  H. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  63 


IX.— ELIZABETH   S.   EDWARDS. 

Elizabeth  Smith,  only  surviving 
child  of  Vinal  N.  and  Rachel  S.  Ed- 
wards, died  in  Providence,  R.  I.,  July 
18th,  in  the  twelfth  year  of  her  age. 
This  is  the  seventh  time  the  Lord  has 
written  these  parents  childless ;  but 
they  sorrow  not  as  those  who  have 
no  hope.  All  their  children  are  safe- 
ly housed  in  the  mansions  above. 
Elizabeth  had  been  a  member  of  the 
sabbath  school  in  Chestnut-street  se- 
veral years,  where,  though  naturally 
diffident,  she  had  greatly  endeared 
herself  to  her  teacher,  and  those  with 
whom  she  was  on  terms  of  intimacy. 
On  my  first  visit  to  her  sick  bed, 
though  reserved  in  communication,  I 
gathered  she  was  cherishing  serious 


64  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

thoughts,  and  withal  that  she  was  not 
perfectly  reconciled  to  the  idea  of  so 
soon  leaving  the  world.  But  as  her 
disease  (consumption)  progressed,  and 
she  was  apprised  that  she  must  soon 
bid  adieu  to  earth,  she,  after  a  short 
season  of  depression,  made  the  sur- 
render of  herself  fully  to  the  Lord. 
To  her  parents,  with  whom  she  con- 
versed most  freely,  she  gave  very 
satisfactory  evidence  that  the  Saviour 
had  numbered  her  with  his  jewels. 
On  one  occasion  she  sung  with  much 
animation,  while  several  friends  were 
standing  round, 

"  When  I've  been  there  ten  thousand  years,"  Sec. 

On  being  assured  by  her  mother,  at 
her  request,  that  she  had  not  only  for- 
given her  all  she  had  said  and  done 
amiss,  but  had  prayed  the  Lord  also 
to  forgive   her,  she  replied,  she  be- 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  65 

lieved  he  had  already  done  it,  and 
then,  affectionately  embracing  her, 
declared  herself  happy  in  the  thought 
that  she  was  forgiven.  Her  happy 
state  of  mind  was  also  indicated  by 
her  selection  of  particular  portions  of 
Scripture  and  verses  of  hymns,  to  be 
read  to  her,  which  treated  on  dying 
and  heaven.  She  desired  that  I  would 
give  her  love  to  her  sabbath-school 
mates,  and  request  them  to  meet  her 
in  heaven.  At  one  time,  when  she 
was  thought  to  be  dying,  her  afflicted 
father  asked  her  how  she  felt.  With 
difficulty  she  replied,  ''My  pain  will 
soon  be  over,"  and  added,  ''  O  death, 
where  is  thy  sting?  O  grave,  where 
is  thy  victory  ?"  On  another  occasion, 
seeing  her  parents  w^eep,  she  desired 
that  they  would  not  do  so,  and  re- 
marked, ''  What  a  happy  time  it  vdll 
5 


66  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

be  when  parents  and  children  meet 
in  heaven  to  part  no  more !" 

Thus  early  and  thus  happily  did 
this  dear  child  terminate  her  earthly 
career,  and  enter  upon  her  eternal 
state. 

"  This  lovely  bud  so  young  and  fair, 
Call'd  hence  by  early  doom, 
Just  came  to  show  how  sweet  a  flower 
In  Paradise  would  bloom." 

It  should  be  remarked,  that  though 
greatly  indebted  to  the  sabbath  school 
for  her  religious  impressions,  having 
amended  regularly  from  the  time  she 
v^as  three  years  old  to  her  last  illness, 
she  was  not  wholly  so.  Her  parents 
were  not  of  the  number  who  commit 
the  religious  education  of  their  child- 
ren entirely  to  this  precarious  agency. 
Our  bereaved  brother  and  sister,  ad- 
monished by  the  premature  death  of 
all  their  children,  had  early  striven  to 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  67 

imbue  the  mind  of  Elizabeth  with 
the  fear  of  God,  and  often  was  she 
taught  at  home  by  precept  and  exam- 
ple to  bow  the  knee  in  prayer. 

On  the  day  of  her  funeral,  the  day- 
school  of  which  Elizabeth  was  a  mem- 
ber came  with  their  teachers,  in  all 
probably  three  hundred,  to  look  on 
her  remains.  Many  also  of  our  sab- 
bath school  followed  in  procession  to 
the  grave.  The  scene  was  affecting; 
may  it  be  sanctified  to  the  good  of 
all!  J.  B.  HusTED. 


68  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


X.— WATSON     SHEARS. 

Watson,  son  of  Rev.  A.  G.  Shears, 
of  the  Troy  Conference,  was  born  in 
Dutchess  county,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  22,  1834. 
He  was  baptized  in  infancy  by  Rev. 
R.  Wymond.  One  preacher  said, 
"  There  ought  not  to  be  conferred  on 
one  so  young  the  name  of  so  great  a 
man  as  Watson !"  Some  may  think 
he  has  been  worthy  even  of  the  name 
of  the  good  and  great  Watson.  His 
constitution  was  delicate  and  fragile 
from  his  infancy,  and  more  than  once 
his  Ufe  was  despaired  of  Ho  was 
scarcely  a  year  old  when  he  assumed 
the  attitude  of  prayer  during  family 
devotions,  and,  at  the  family  altar, 
ever  afterward,  he  was  found  on  his 


THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


knees  before  God.  He  was  remark- 
able for  his  conscientiousness  and 
love  of  the  truth.  Sprightly  and  joy- 
ful for  one  of  his  health,  his  juvenile 
years  passed  away,  affording  no  little 
pleasure  to  the  family  circle  and  the 
companions  of  his  early  days.  Such 
was  his  sobriety  and  manly  tone,  that 
he,  with  facility,  became  the  chosen 
companion  of  those  who  were  by 
several  years  his  seniors,  as  well  as 
of  such  as  were  younger  than  himself 
He  found  many  friends,  juvenile  and 
adult,  wherever  he  resided,  anc  •  ave& 
not  a  few  on  this  isle.  His  1  'ist wor- 
thiness was  great.  His  pa  .b  diii 
not  fear  to  trust  him  with  confidential 
matters,  nor  to  send  him  abroad  with 
scores  of  dollars.  He  was  one  of  tr  .i 
most  agreeable  juvenile  txaveiing 
companions,  rendering  our  shon  jour- 


70  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

neys  very  pleasant  by  his  apt  con- 
versation. 

In  the  year  1841,  when  residing-  in 
Middle  town,  Conn.,  while  I  was  hold- 
ing a  series  of  meetings  at  Moodus, 
he,  seeing  others  go  forward  to  the 
altar  for  prayer,  wished  to  go  too; 
but  too  fearful  as  to  his  youth,  I  did 
not  encourage  him  to  do  so.  He 
seemed  to  be  there  awakened  anew 
in  a  class  meeting.  During  a  revival 
at  Ponset,  the  next  year,  he  was  so 
interested  as  to  write,  on  my  return 
home,  after  inquiry  each  time,  the 
number  forward  for  prayers,  the  num- 
ber converted,  &lc. 

Choosing  myself  to  be  "  the  guide 
01  his  youth,"  he  was  not  sent  to 
school,  it  is  judged,  in  all  one  year. 
Keeping  in  view  his  feeble  constitu- 
tion, and  the  want  of  daily  systematic 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  71 

efforts  by  his  teacher,  his  literary  pro- 
gress was  very  satisfactory  to  his 
parents.  His  education  was  not  bound 
by  the  circle  of  mere  book  knowledge. 
Ind^spendent  of  books,  he  was  no  tyro. 
His  love  to  hi^  parents  and  fondness 
for  their  society  were  not  excelled. 

In  184Q  he  took  the  Youth's  Tem- 
perance Advocate,  and  became  a  mem- 
ber of  the  children's  cold  water  army. 
Many  of  his  youthful  fellow-soldiers 
still  remember,  no  doubt,  the  circum- 
stances. The  church  in  Middletown 
was  filled  principally  with  children 
and  youth.  After  a  lecture  by  Mr. 
Warren,  he  went  among  the  crowd 
of  children  for  volunteers  to  join  the 
army.  Watson  offered  himself,  at  the 
same  time  handing  ''  General  Warren" 
a  slip  of  paper  with  his  name,  there 
])eing   written  over  it,  "  Cold  water 


72  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

is  the  drink  for  me."  Mr.  Warren, 
after  reaching  the  pulpit,  asked  the 
children  if  they  would  like  to  hear 
the  contents  of  the  little  pager  in 
his  hand.  After  their  response  he 
read  it.  Then,  at  their  request,  the 
name,  Watson  Shears, — when  a  gene- 
ral and  hearty  shout  ensued  from  the 
children.  His  young  friends  will  re- 
member, from  his  infancy,  a  glass  of 
cold  water  was  his  beverage,  morn- 
ing, noon,  and  night.  I  find,  laid 
away  carefully  by  his  own  hand, 
several  numbers  of  Watson's  temper- 
ance paper,  preserved  now  several 
years ;  and  also  his  Missionary  Advo- 
cate, and  some  books  that  we  love  the 
more  for  having  been  once  his  com- 
panions. Among  those  he  most  T'alued 
were  his  Bible  and  hymn-book ;  also 
the  New  Hieroglyphical  Bible j  Child's 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  73 

Book  on  the  Soul,  and  the  Introduc- 
tion to  Porter's  Rhetorical  Reader. 
In  the  latter,  he  used  to  read  with 
much  interest  about  ''  Willy  who 
died."  For  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  sabbath  school,  and  among  its 
best  scholars.  He  was  a  reader  of 
our  Sunday-School  Advocate,  and 
two  years  since  he  wrote  the  names 
of  the  subscribers  on  the  package 
coming  to  us.  His  missionary  box 
afforded  the  society  some  aid — one 
year  several  dollars.  He  had  depo- 
sited with  me  a  few  dimes,  which 
shall  be  sacred  to  the  cause  of  bene- 
volence. 

Watson  had  "ti  meek  and  quiet 
spirit,"  and  was  ''  sober-minded P  His 
amiable  traits  of  character  convinced 
not  a  few,  years  since,  that  he  was  a 
Christian ;   but   of  this   his   parents 


74  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

were  not  satisfied.  More  means, 
prompted  by  warmer  hearts,  were 
subsequently  used  by  the  parents  for 
the  salvation  of  their  children.  On 
the  last  night  of  the  Grand  Isle  camp 
meeting,  at  about  midnight,  Watson, 
with  others,  one  a  lad  like  himself, 
presented  himself  at  one  of  the  Grand 
Isle  tents,  asking  an  interest  in  the 
prayers  of  Christians.  After  about 
an  hour  spent  in  strong  cries  and 
tears,  in  seeking  mercy  by  faith  in 
Christ  Jesus,  he  was  enabled  to  be- 
lieve to  the  saving  of  his  soul.  His 
replies  to  his  father  and  others  were 
perfectly  satisfactory.  They  wept 
together — ^together^they  rejoiced !  He 
arose  amid  the  crowd  surrounding 
him,  and  said  with  his  own  peculiar 
modesty,  ''  The  Lord  has  been  here 
to-night — I  am   more   happy  than  I 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  75 

have  ever  been  before."  This  was 
his  language  again,  after  other  means 
of  grace.  His  conduct  afterward,  the 
few  days  he  was  permitted  to  tarry 
with  us  on  earth,  was  such  as  be- 
comes the  Christian.  He  prayed  at 
the  family  altar  during  the  absence 
of  his  father :  indeed,  he  was  wont  to 
do  so  occasionally,  prior  to  the  camp 
meeting. 

The  week  after  the  camp  meeting, 
(a  place  endeared  to  him  and  to  many,) 
he  was  taken  ill.  We  did  not  consi- 
der him  dangerously  so,  till  two  days 
before  his  death.  His  disease,  as- 
suming a  typhus  form,  bade  defiance 
to  his  physicians  and  friends,  and  ter- 
minated in  death,  on  Monday,  19th  of 
Oct.:  he  was  in  the  12th  year  of  his 
age.  Yet  we  mourn  not  as  those  with- 
out hope.  The  Lord,  by  his  grace,  had 


76  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

in  some  measure  prepared  us  for  this 
great  bereavement.  On  Monday,  the 
day  of  his  death,  his  father  could  say, 
should  God  '^  command  him  (living) 
to  the  furthest  verge  of  the  green 
earth,"  or,  dying,  to  the  furthest  verge 
of  immensity,  he  should  be  his — Wat- 
son should  ''go."  His  death-bed  scene 
was  one  of  melancholy  interest.  On 
the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  he 
died,  he  seemed  to  be  conversing 
about  Latin,  which  he  had  studied 
some  the  past  four  years.  At  differ- 
ent times,  during  his  sickness,  he  was 
asked,  Do  you  pray  ?  His  answer  was 
always  in  the  affirmative.  His  father 
asked  him,  on  th©  afternoon  of  his 
death,  Did  you  experience  religion  at 
the  camp  meeting  ?  His  answer  was 
characteristic  of  him, — "  Yes,  I  ex- 
pect so !"    Do  you  love  the  Saviour  ? 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  77 

"  Yes."  Some  three  hours  before  his 
decease,  his  father  stept  into  an  ad- 
joining room  to  pray  that  Watson 
might  be  *'  sanctified  wholly,"  and  that, 
for  the  sake  of  others,  he  might,  by 
God's  grace,  demonstrate  the  power 
of  religion  in  a  dying  hour  more  fully 
still  than  he  had  done  by  his  meek- 
ness, patience,  and  humility  in  suffer- 
ings. Watson  seemed  asleep,  or  un- 
conscious, at  the  time.  Soon,  his 
physicians  and  others  being  present, 
he  said,  "  Pa!"  On  his  father  going  to 
him,  and  grasping  his  hand,  he  ex- 
claimed, with  thrilling  emphasis, — 
*'  Happy  !"  Its  effect  may  be  imagined. 
It  was  more  than  sublime  !  It  was  "  a 
word  fitly  spoken."  Then,  as  though 
communing  with  the  world  of  spirits,  he 
left  us  to  our  reflections  on  the  power 
of  religion  on  a  child,  passing  through 


78  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

the  valley  of  the  shadow  of  death.  His 
father,  when  his  deep  emotion  would 
permit  him  to  speak,  had  asked.  What 
makes  you  happy,  Watson?  Soon, 
partly  rising  from  his  recumbent  pos- 
ture, and  gasping  for  breath,  seeming 
to  have  lost  the  child  in  the  messenger 
from  a  judgment  scene,  choosing  the 
fewest  and  most  expressive  words  to 
delineate  the  judgment  of  the  last 
day,  as  though  viewing  a  class  too 
large  even  among  children,  he  said 
in  broken  language,  but  with  the  ut- 
most pathos  and  solemnity,  "  O,  he 
won't  let  him  go  through !"  Whom 
won't  he  let  go  through?  asked  his 
pa.  He  replied,  *'  The  liar — he  lied ! 
He  won't  let  him  pass  through  the 
gate — the  pass  !"  His  pa  asked,  Who 
won't  let  him  pass  ?  Watson  an- 
swered,   ''  He    looks   like    Christ  !" 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  79 

Then,  as  though  looking  at  those  on 
Christ's  right  hand,  Watson  exclaim- 
ed, ''  The  CROSS  !  They/y  /  We  fly ! 
We  fly !" 

As  we  looked  on  his  pallid  counte- 
nance on  Sunday,  and  especially  on 
the  morning  after  his  death,  his  own 
loved  Bible  and  hymn  book,  and  a 
collection  of  varied  and  beautiful 
flowers,  (gathered  by  one  of  his 
mates,)  near  his  head,  low  in  death, 
we  could  not  but  think  of  those 
beautiful  lines : — 

"Onthe  cold  cheek  of  death  smWea  and  roses  are  blending, 
And  beauty  immortal  awakes  from  the  tomb." 

"  We  had  thought  to  see  him  gradu- 
ate at  our  university,"  said  his  father, 
after  Watson's  death;  "but,"  continued 
he,  ''  he  has  graduated  in  glory !" 
"  Yes,"  said  Mrs.  S.,  "  he  has  taken  the 
highest  degree !"    His  father,  recently 


80  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

getting  Norton's  elaborate  work  on  as- 
tronomy, said  he  wished  to  review  it, 
and  it  might  do  for  Watson  by  and  by, 
though  it  was  anticipating  a  great  deal. 
But  now  he  needs  no  college  text- 
books ;  the  "  Geography  of  the  Hea- 
vens" may  be  learned,  possibly,  by 
him,  by  ''  travels"  on  high,  if  the  stars 
are  to  become  "  his  play-grounds." 
''  The  memory  of  the  just  is  blessed," 
as  was  evidenced  by  a  crowded 
church,  that  listened  to  the  truth  by 
brother  Starks,  "  To  die  is  gain."  The 
falling  tear  told  how  much  the  heart 
felt.  Truly  did  the  preacher  say, 
"  You  will  come,  dear  children,  to  the 
sabbath  school,  but  Watson  will  not 
be  there  P'  May  they  follow  him  as 
he  followed  Christ.  We  trust  his 
death  will  not  be  without  its  influence 
on  the  children  of  this  place. 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  81 

By  the  special  kindness  of  a  gen- 
tleman of  this  island,  all  that  was 
mortal  of  Watson  rests  in  his  family 
vault.  His  father,  after  the"  services 
at  the  ''  house  appointed  for  all  living," 
felt  relieved  as  he  looked  into  the 
house  of  the  dead,  and  gave  utterance 
to  the  feelings  of  his  heart, — "  Fare- 
well,  my  boy,  but  not  for  ever  /"  James 
iv,  13,  &c.  A.  G.  S. 

Grand  Isle,  Vt.,  Oct.  31, 1846. 

6 


82  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


XL— MARY    A.    BURNHAM. 

Mary  Adelaide  Burnham,  daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  J.  D.  and  Clarissa  M. 
Burnham,  was  born  June  25th,  1841, 
and  died  Oct.  21st,  1846.  She  died 
of  the  croup,  and  was  sick  only  thirty- 
six  hours.  Little  Adelaide  was  a 
deeply  interesting  child,  of  uncommon 
intellectual  powers  and  great  thought- 
fulness.  Though  a  few  days  less  than 
five  years  and  three  months  of  age, 
she  was  a  good  reader,  and  had  made 
good  proficiency  in  the  study  of  geog- 
raphy. She  was  remarkably  attached 
to  the  sabbath  school,  used  to  repeat 
from  the  Bible  ten  to  fifteen  verses 
weekly,  and  has  been  known  to  retire 
and  weep  heartily  when  the  sabbath 
school  has  closed  for  the  season.    She 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  83 

was  a  constant  reader  of  the  Sunday- 
School  Advocate,  and  she  would  soon- 
er be  denied  almost  anything  than  the 
privilege  of  spending  a  little  time  with 
this  deeply  interesting  and  highly 
useful  periodical.  She  was  very  af- 
fectionate, and,  as  all  good  children 
should  be,  was  much  attached  to 
her  parents.  She  was  particularly 
attached  to  her  father,  and  was  some- 
times allowed  to  go  with  him  around 
his  circuit;  and  when  she  could  not 
do  so,  she  would  say,  "Father,  be 
good,  and  preach  good,"  and  when  he 
returned,  would  meet  him  at  the  door, 
exclaiming,  "  I  do  love  my  father P 
She  was  on  a  visit  with  her  mother 
to  her  aunt,  in  this  village,  when  she 
died.  Her  short  and  painful  sickness, 
and  the  absence  of  her  father  at  the 
time  of  her  departure,  rendered  their 


84  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

bereavement  deeply  afflicting  to  her 
parents. 

She  had  her  reason  perfectly, 
and,  with  her  characteristic  thought- 
fulness,  said,  "  I  am  going  to  heaven," 
and  inquired  of  her  mother,  "  Do  you 
think  I  shall  see  little  Charley  there?" 
(meaning  a  brother  of  hers  who  died 
about  a  year  since.) 

When  asked  by  her  anxious  mo- 
ther, if  she  was  afraid  to  die ;  she  re- 
plied, ''  No."  "  Why,"  said  her  mother, 
'Vare  you  not  afraid  to  die?"  "Be- 
cause," said  she,  "  Jesus  loves  me^ 
Her  mother  asked  her  what  she  should 
tell  her  father.  "  Tell  father  to  live 
near  the  Lord,  to  preach  good,  to  live 
faithful,  and  4;hat  little  Adelaide  has 
gone  to  heaven."  She  soon  closed  her 
eyes  in  death,  about  two  hours  before 
her  dear  father  returned.     Certainly 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  85 

this  was  a  heavy  stroke  to  her  affec- 
tionate parents,  but  her  heavenly 
Father  had  need  of  her  above  ;  and 
though  they  cannot  refrain  from 
mourning,  yet  we  trust  they  feel  to 
acknowledge  his  superior  claim  to 
her. 

I  cannot  but  desire  that  all  the  dear 
children  who  read  this  may  love  the 
sabbath  school,  be  affectionate  to  their 
parents,  fear  God,  and  live  for  heaven, 
that  they  may  die  as  little  Mary  Ade- 
laide Burnham  did. 

Jacob  Leonard,  Jr. 

Union  Village,  N.  Y.,  Oct.  27, 1846. 


86  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


XII.— JULIETTE  A.    KINNEY. 

Another  sabbath-school  scholar 
has  exchanged  this  world  of  sorrow 
for  a  world  of  peace  and  happiness. 
Juliette,  the  daughter  of  John  and 
Mary  A.  Kinney,  departed  this  life 
on  the  14th  day  of  Oct.,  in  great  peace 
and  with  a  full  assurance  of  a  glorious 
immortality.  Juliette  was  five  years 
old  the  first  day  of  last  September. 
She  had  been  blessed  with  pious  pa- 
rents who  had  early  taught  her  the 
way  of  life  and  salvation,  both  by  pre- 
cept and  example.  She  was  at  a  very 
early  age  taken  by  her  parent^  to  the 
sabbath  school,  and  to  this  means  of 
grace  she  delighted  to  go ;  and  both 
she  and  her  kind  parents  looked  for- 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  87 

ward  to  future  prospects  with  in- 
creasing delight :  but  alas  !  how  often 
are  the  hopes  of  man  cut  off!  God's 
ways  are  not  as  our  ways.  Our  dear- 
est joys  and  nearest  friends  God  often 
sees  fit  to  take  from  us :  but  as  these 
parents  had  learned  to  trust  in  God  in 
the  time  of  prosperity,  so  they  knew 
how  to  be  resigned  to  the  will  of  God 
in  the  time  of  affhction.  Juliette  was 
a  child  that  had  a  kind  and  affection- 
ate disposition,  and  at  a  very  early 
age  gave  signs  of  a  strong  intellect. 
She  was  taken  unwell  one  year 
previous  to  her  death,  and  for  some 
time  hopes  were  entertained  that  she 
would  recover ;  but  such  was  the  na- 
ture and  progress  of  the  disease,  that 
all  hopes  were  given  up  some  time 
previous  to  her  death.  But  the  best 
of  all  is  to  be  told.     About  one  week 


88  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 

previous  to  her  death,  a  great  change 
evidently  took  place  in  her  mind ;  she 
had  suffered  much  bodily  pain,  and 
as  death  drew  near,  she  was  able  to 
look  to  Jesus  for  the  forgiveness  of 
her  sins,  and  it  was  evident  that  God 
had  spoken  peace  to  her  soul.  Her 
parents  and  other  Christian  friends 
saw  by  her  countenance  and  other 
expressions,  that  a  great  change  had 
taken  place, — her  soul  was  so  happy 
that  she  broke  out  and  sung,  clearly 
and  distinctly,  a  verse  of  the  hymn, 
commencing, 

**  O,  when  shall  I  see  Jesus, 
And  dwell  with  him  above !" 

Such  was  the  victory  she  had  over 
death,  that  she  would  converse  about 
dying  with  the  utmost  composure.  She 
said  to  her  mother,  "  I  have  suffered  a 
great    deal;    but  I  shall    not   suffer 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  OV 

much  more.  I  shall  die,  and  go 
where  Jesus  is."  At  another  time  she 
said  she  would  soon  be  where  Alvira 
was,  (her  sister  who  had  died  only 
three  months  before  J  and  as  death 
drew  near,  she,  seeing  her  parents 
weeping,  said,  "Do  not  feel  bad;  I 
am  going  to  Jesus."  She  said  to 
her  father,  ''  Will  you  meet  me  in 
heaven  ?"  and  to  her  sister,  "  Eliza,  I 
want  you  to  meet  me  in  heaven."  Thus 
Juliette  fell  asleep  in  Jesus,  without 
a  struggle  or  a  groan.  Her  funeral 
was  attended,  on  the  16th  of  Oct.,  by 
a  large  number  of  friends,  and  a 
circle  of  weeping  relatives.  May  all 
sabbath-school  scholars  die  as  peace- 
fully as  did  Juliette. 

John  Chase. 

Redford  Circuit,  Troy  Con.,  Oct.  14,  1846. 


do  THE  EARLY  DEAD. 


XIII.— JOHN    HENRY    MYER. 

John  Henry,  son  of  John  and 
Ruth  Myer,  died  at  West  Point, 
Nov.  1st,  1846,  aged  seven  years. 
John  Henry  was  early  taught  to  fear 
the  Lord.  He  loved  to  pray  and  sing 
hymns  of  praise  to  God,  and  was 
much  attached  to  the  sabbath  school, 
of  which  he  was  a  member.  His  fa- 
vorite hymns  were :  '*  A  charge  to  keep 
I  have ;"  and,  ''  I  am  a  pilgrim,  and  I 
am  a  stranger,"  &c.  He  used  to  sing 
one  or  both  of  these  hymns  almost 
every  day.  Two  days  before  his  de- 
cease he  sung  the  hymn  last  men- 
tioned, often  repeating  the  words, 
"  Till  thy  rest  shall  end  the  weary 
pilgrim's  night." 

The  day  previous  to  his  death,  he 


THE  EARLY  DEAD.  91 

requested  his  father  to  hear  him  re- 
peat the  passages  of  Scripture  on  two 
of  the  tickets  which  he  last  received 
at  the  sabbath  school.  One  of  these 
passages  was  the  twenty-fifth  verse  of 
the  seventy-third  Psalm,  "  Whom  have 
I  in  heaven  but  thee,  and  there  is  none 
upon  earth  that  I  desire  beside  thee." 
In  the  afternoon  of  the  day  on  which 
he  died,  his  father  asked  him,  "  John, 
do  you  love  the  Saviour?  Do  you 
desire  to  go  to  heaven?"  To  each  of 
these  questions  he  answered,  "  Yes." 
Shortly  afterward  his  father,  at  his 
request,  kneeled  down  and  besought 
the  Lord  to  bless  and  receive  his 
dying  child.  He  died  of  the  croup, 
and  was  sick  only  two  days ;  but  da- 
ring that  time,  although  he  suffered 
much,  he  did  not  complain.  A  short 
time   before   he   died,   he  raised   his 


92  THE  EARLY  DEAD.' 

eyes  and  his  hands  almost  at  the 
same  moment,  and  with  a  smile  of 
joy  overspreading  his  countenance, 
"  quite  on  the  verge  of  heaven,"  he 
exclaimed,  "Pretty!  pretty!  pretty!" 
Many  prayers  were  offered  up  for 
the  life  of  this  little  Sunday-school 
scholar ;  but,  alas !  in  vain.  The 
Lord  saw  fit  to  take  him  to  dwell  with 
him  in  heaven. 

"  There  is  beyond  the  sky  a  heaven  of  joy  and  love, 
And  holy  children,  when  they  die,  go  to  that  world 
abox^e." 

s.  s. 

West  Point,  Dec.  4,  1846. 


CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

I. — Catharine  M.  Williams 5 

II. — Mary  Abigail  Garfield 21 

III.— Sarah  M.  Darrow 27 

IV. — Juliette  42 

v.— Eliza  Bowen 47 

VI. — George  W.  Anthony 50 

VII. — Catharine  Eliza  Baker,  her  sister  and 

brother 53 

VIII.— Hannah  A.  Huse 62 

IX. — Elizabeth  S.  Edwards 63 

X. — Watson  Shears 68 

XL— Mary  A.  Burnham 82 

XII. — Juliette  A.  Kinney 86 

XIII.— John  Henry  Myer 90 


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